ICAO Abbreviations and Codes

FOREWORD
1. Introduction
This document contains abbreviations and codes approved by the Council of ICAO for worldwide use in the international
aeronautical telecommunication service and in aeronautical information documents, as appropriate, uniform abbreviated
phraseology for use in pre-flight information bulletins and ATS data link communications, with the status of Procedures for Air
Navigation Services (in abbreviated form the PANS-ABC).
This document is the outgrowth of study by the Air Navigation Commission in consultation with States in the matter of
controlling and coordinating abbreviations and codes. It brings together all abbreviations and codes for use in aircraft
operations with the following exceptions:
a) Designators for Aircraft Operating Agencies, Aeronautical Authorities and Services promulgated in Doc 8585.
b) Data designators and geographical designators for meteorological bulletins given in the Manual of Aeronautical
Meteorological Practice (Doc 8896).
c) Aeronautical meteorological codes given in the Manual of Aeronautical Meteorological Practice.
d) Additional abbreviations for restricted use in aeronautical information services (AIS) documents given in the
Aeronautical Information Services Manual (Doc 8126).
e) Location Indicators given in Doc 7910.
f) Aircraft Type Designators given in Doc 8643.
Table A shows the origin of each edition of the PANS-ABC issued since 1964 and subsequent amendments thereto,
together with a list of the principal subjects involved, the dates on which the amendments were approved by the Council and
the dates on which they became applicable.
2. Principles for formulation of abbreviations
The principles applied in the formulation of ICAO abbreviations are:
a) that allocation of more than one signification to a single abbreviation should be avoided except where it can be
reasonably determined that no instances of misinterpretation would arise;
b) that allocation of more than one abbreviation to the same signification should be avoided even though a different use
is prescribed;
c) that abbreviations should make use of the root word or words and should be derived from words common to the
working languages except that where it is impracticable to apply this principle to best advantage, the abbreviation
should follow the English text;
d) that the use of a singular or plural form for the signification of an abbreviation should be selected on the basis of the
more common use;
(vii) 18/11/10